Door controlling mechanism and limit switch



NWA 39 11.95? a. A. ANDREW@ ETAL 2574?@54 DOOR CONTROLLING MECHNISM AND LMT SWITCH Nov. 13, 1951 B. A. ANDREWS ETAL 2,574,684

. DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM AND LIMIT SWITCH Filed March 24, 1947 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 58 /o/ /oz /07 6 /07 /03 /oe 90) EL@ /Of//f/O3 fo@ (3u/vmware 3o/ey A. Andrews S George /1/1. Pro

Patented Nov. 13, 1951 DOOR CONTROLLING MECHANISM ANDt LIMITI` SWITCH Bliley A; Andrews,` Kansas City, Mo., and George` M. Pro, Kansas City, Kans., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Ihe VendoV Company, Kansas City, Mo., a corporation of- Missouri Application March 24, 1947, Serial N o. 736,684

(Cl. 20G-47) 4v Claims. 1.

This invention relates to a system for remotely controlling the operation ofY movable structure and more particularly to a control unit for garage doors or the like.

The primary object of'this invention isto provide mechanism for operating a garagev door or the like in response to a suitable control unit, having a carriermounted within a pair of spaced apart tracks suspended from a garage ceiling, which carrier hasl an electric motor secured thereto for driving an elongated screw interposed between the said tracks and. movable longitudinally with respect to the tracks to shift the garage door to and from a horizontal position underlying said tracks.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a door controlling mechanism having a carrier mounted for limitedpmovement within a pair of spaced apart trackssuspended from a garage ceiling for reciprocating an elongated door actuating screw, which carrier is provided with an electric motor energized upon closing of a three pole double throw-switch, and aplurality of springs operable to automatically openvv said switch either when the door reaches4 a closed or an open position or upon stalling or partial stall- 1ing during movement to or from aclosed posiion.

Many additional objects of this invention will be made clear or become apparent during the course o f the followingy specification,y reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wheref in:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a garage or the like showing the door operating mechanism mounted` therein and` operably at.- tached to the garage door..

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line l/I-II of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3v is a fragmentary top plan view of the garage door actuating mechanism per se.

Fig. 4 is. aY fragmentary. cross, sectional view taken online IV-.I'V ofr Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a. cross. sectionalview taken on line V-V of Fig.. 3I andr looking. in the. direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a detailedlcross sectional view` taken on line VI-VI of Fig.. 1: looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged` detailedr` cross sectional view taken on line VII- VII-oiFig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a substantially central,- longitudinal cross sectionalview taken through the carrier body androtatable-sleeve mounted therein.

- It is contemplated that themechanismhereot 2 be used with a door such as that. shown in Figs. l and 2 and' designated by the numeral i6". This door I8 consists. of a` number of hingedly` interconnected sections of conventional character, and travels within suitable overhead and vertical tracks Il mountedwithin a garage or other buildllgl. c.:

The operating mechanism per se is broadly designated. by the numeral' 20 and includes a pair of opposed, substantially parallel, channel-like tracks 22 of identical character. These tracks 22 are disposed with the interior of their channels in facing relation and mounted on a ceiling 24 of garage l8`through the medium of a number of brackets 26 depending from ceiling 24',

One end wall 28 of garage I8 has an opening 30 therein, closable. by door IB and one end of each of the tracks 22 is secured as atr 32 to this wall 28.

A carrier broadly designated by the numeral 34 is disposedbetween the tracks. 22 and mounted for limited reciprocation therein through the medium of a pair of rollers 36, one in each of the tracks 22. This carrier 34 includes a main body or casting 38 receiving stub pins 40 for rotatably mounting the rollers 36. A. bracket 42 mounted on body 38 extends downwardly as illustrated in Fig. 5 to support an electric motor 44 on one face thereof and a switch box 46 on its opposite face.

Body 38 has a continuousv bore 48; formed therein andv disposed substantiallyv midway be,- tween tracks 22 and having-its axisv parallel with the tracks22. A sleeve 5D, freely rotatable with,- in the bore 48 of body; 38 extendsA beyond bore 48 at each end thereof to receive a pulley 53 and a collar 54. This pulley 52. and thecollar 54 are each securely keyed to the sleeve 5D as is clear in Fig. 8.

The sleeve 50 is internally threaded'to receive an elongated` screw 52.` that is extended beyond each end of sleeve50 in substantially coextensive relationship to tracks 22. One end of this screw 52: adjacenty wall 28 hasA a. head 54 threaded thereon, andthis head 54isbifurcated outwardly from. screw 52A as shown in. Fig. 7 toreceive. an enlarged end 56 of a rod 58'.

Aligned openings are formed in thefbifurcated legs of head 54 and the end 56` of'rod. 58 to re,- ceive a shaft 68; Rod 58' is freel to swing. on the shaft and shaft 80 carries a pair orrollers 62'on the free ends thereof, disposed in the tracks 22 as shown in Fig. 2. A bolt 64 passes through the head 54 and shaft 52 to holdfthelatter against rotation.

A bracket 661 bolted tothe inner face-ofC door vI 6 near its top, has an opening near its uppermost free end to receive a hook 68 on the free end of rod 58. Any suitable spring-loaded latch means may be provided in rod 58 to releasably hold hook 68 engaged with the bracket 86.

Tracks 22 each carry a link 10 at the ends thereof opposite to wall 28 of building I8 for receiving a bar '|2 bridged between links l0. A block 14 of rubber or other material, which will have no damaging effect on the threads of screwl 52, is mounted on bar 'I2 in underlying supporting relationship to the screw 52.

A pair of arms 16 adjacent the rollers 30 extend rearwardly from body 38 toward the end of tracks 22 having block 14 thereon to mount a cross member 'I8 interposed between tracks 22. A downwardly extending link 80 is fixed to member 18 midway between tracks 22 to receive one end of a leaf spring 82. Spring 82 extends toward block 14 and passes through a slot 83 formed in one leg of an L-shaped cross bar 84. 'This cross bar 84 is' secured to tracks 22 by a pair of U-shaped clamps 86, and an extension 88 on bar 84 projects upwardly to slidably receive an elongated rod 90. Y Leaf spring 82 carries a washer and pin assembly 9 2 at the free end thereof and a spring 94 is coiled about spring 82 between washer 92 and cross bar 84. A second coil spring 98 is mounted on spring 82 between cross bar 84 and link 80.

Rod 90'carries a collar 98 on one end thereof and a coil spring is loosely mounted on this rod 90 between collar 98 and extension 88. A second coil spring IOI on rod 90 is disposed between the extension 88 and a collar |02 adjustably secured to rod 90 intermediate its ends.

A pair of spaced apart upstanding walls |03 integral with body 38 have aligned openings therein for slidably receiving a sleeve |05. This sleeve |05 is longer than the distance between walls |03 and carries a transverse pin |09 in one end thereof. The opposite end of sleeve |05 loosely telescopes one end of rod 90 adjacent collar |02 and joins with rod 90 by a second pin |01. A pair of spaced apart collars |08 are attached to sleeve |05 between walls |03. 'l

A three pole double throw switch |09 mounted in box 48 has an actuating arm I I0 extending upwardly through aligned slots in box 48 and body 38. The free end of this arm ||0 is disposed between the collars |08 on sleeve |05.

Motor 44 hasa pulley III on the outermost end of its drive shaft, and an endless belt ||2 interconnects pulleys 53 and I I Il VAn electronic relay control unit ||3 has suitable electric wire connection ||4 with the motor circuit (not shown) of motor 44 through box 46, and is preferably mounted upon ceiling 24 of garage I8 adi acent to carrier unit 34.

A microphone ||5 mounted on the outer face of wall 32 above opening 30 has suitable conductors IIB extending into control unit I I3 as shown in Fig. l. This microphone ||5 consists essentially of a Rochelle salt crystal which is normally resonant at a narrow range of supersonic frequencies and a special type of diaphragm construction which will extend the response of the -crystal over a wide range of frequencies.

Rochelle salt crystals as produced commercially are resonant to a narrow range of frequencies land therefore, the response to sound waves are greatest when vibrating in this narrow range of frequencies. For utilizing this type of crystal in microphones for voice frequencies, the crystal is cemented to a highly damped circular diaphragm which is clamped at the outside edges in order to insure true speech reproduction henceresulting in good quality sound pick-up.

Inasmuch as the highly damped diaphragm is clamped at the outside edges-the response begins to fall off at high sound frequencies and becomes ineiicient if not entirely inoperative at frequencies exceeding 10,000 cycles per second. To

. pick up frequencies exceeding 10,000 C. P. S.

' the crystal itself can be used without a diaphragm, however, its resonant characteristics are such that it can be used only for a narrow band of frequencies. As an example, a 20,000 C. P. S. crystal will give excellent response for a band of frequencies at 20,000 C. P. S. This band generally is 300 C. P. S. wide.

In order to extend the response characteristics of this narrow band crystal, this crystal is cemented to a special type of diaphragm. This diaphragm consists of a piece of metal foil about .002 inches thick and lcurved in a semi-circle. The center ends of the diaphragm are cemented to supports and the crystal is cemented to the outside center of the semi-circle. This type of mounting will allow the ends of the diaphragm to vibrate with a greater degree of freedom and thus pick up supersonic frequencies which will actuate the crystal.

The circuit for supplying electrical energy to the motor44 is of conventional character having connection to a suitable source, not shown. In addition to the switch |09, this motor circuit should have one or more auxiliary switches for permitting an operator to close the circuit independentf ly of switch |09, as well as an impulse switch 2'i2, shown in Fig. l5 and operable by the relay con'- trol unit as hereinafter more fully set forth; A relay having mechanical interlocking contact points, is also provided inthis motor circuit, all conventionally connected to the end that the cir-V cuit will always be closed through switch |09 whenever anyone of the auxiliary switches is actuated. f

It is clear from the foregoing that the direction of rotation of the pulley wheel 53 determines whether door I6 is raised or lowered to a position covering opening 30. If, while'motor 44 is operat ing in one direction, one of the auxiliary switches on the impulse switch 212 is actuated to close the relay, the motor circuit will be broken. If the relay coil circuit is again closed, the motor circuit willv again be energized until switch |09 is actuated. Each actuation'of 'switch |09 in either direction reverses motor 44 and at the same time closing the motor circuit.V o Y Y Rotation of pulley 53 inreither direction and thereby sleeve 50 causes screw 52 to travel longi tudinally through sleeve 50 toward or from the wall 28 respectively. When screw 52 moves away from wall 28 to pull door I6 to the open position, the door load will move carrier 34 and leaf spring 82 carried thereby a limiteddistance toward wall 28, compressing the spring 94 against the cross bar 84. Such movement of carrier 34 will move rod in the same direction.. If the door load 'becomes greater due to stalling orpartial. stalling of door I6, the spring 94 will be furthercom; pressed until carrier 34 moves to a position causing collar 98 to engage spring |00. When spring |00 engages extension 88, movement of rod 90 ceases and carrier 34 moves switch |09 to a position where arm ||0 thereof is `actuated to open the circuit for motor 44. As set forth above, if at this point, switch 212 or any one of the auxiliary switches is actuated, the motor will be rev, rs i .1..,'l'lflus.A twoucceive movements 0f v@ne of the switches must be performed in order to continue movement of door I6 in the same direction after stalling.

When door I6 reaches the fully open position, it strikes a bumper H1 on tracks 22, causing the same action in spring 94 and rod 99 as aforesaid to operate switch |09 and open the motor circuit.

When door I6 is to be closed, stalling of door I6 or upon reaching a closed position, causes actuation of switch |09 through spring 9B, rod S0 and spring l 0| in the opposite manner.

It is notable that the entire door actuating assembly is constructed to obviate the necessity of true alignment of any of its parts in order to attain proper operation. Leaf spring 82 and rod 90 are freely slidable in cross bar 84 and extension 88 respectively. Sleeve |95 and rod 99 need not remain in perfect alignment because of the connection |01, and screw 52 rides freely on the block '14.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In actuating mechanism, an elongated screw mounted for non-rotating reciprocation on its longitudinal axis and adapted for connection at one end thereof with apparatus to be actuated; an element screw-threaded on the screw for rotation thereon and mounted for reciprocation longitudinally thereof; a pair of devices for yieldably holding said element against reciprocation in either of two directions respectively; a pair of spaced electrical contacts mounted for reciprocation with said element; an electrical conductor arm carried by said element for reciprocation with the element and limited reciprocation relative thereto between said electrical contacts; and means limiting the extent of reciprocable movement of said arm with the element whereby upon predetermined reciprocation of said element against either of said devices the arm is moved against a corresponding electrical contact.

2. In actuating mechanism, an elongated screw mounted for non-rotating reciprocation on its longitudinal axis and adapted for connection at one end thereof with apparatus to be actuated; an element screw-threaded on the screw for rotation thereon and mounted for reciprocation longitudinally thereof; a pair of devices for yieldably holding said element against reciprocation in either of two directions respectively; a pair of spaced electrical contacts mounted for reciprocation with said element; an electrical conductor arm carried by said element for reciprocation with the element and limited reciprocation relative thereto between said electrical contacts; and means including a pair of opposed yieldable members for limiting the extent of reciprocable movement of said arm with the element whereby upon predetermined reciprocation of said element against either of said devices the arm is moved against a corresponding electrical contact.

3. In actuating mechanism, a reciprocable carrler; a pair of opposed springs operably connected with said carrier for yieldably holding the carrier against reciprocation in either of two directions respectively; a rotatable element mounted on the carrier for reciprocation therewith; an elongated screw mounted for non-rotating reciprocation on its longitudinal axis parallel with the path of travel of the carrier, said screw being in screw-threaded engagement with said element and adapted at one end thereof for connection with apparatus to be actuated; a pair of spaced electric contacts on said carrier; an electrical conductor arm mounted for limited reciprocation on the carrier in parallelism with said axis of the screw and between the contacts; and a pair of opposed springs operably connected with said conductor arm for yieldably holding the latter against reciprocation with the carrier in either of two directions respectively.

4. In actuating mechanism, a reciprocable carriage; an elongated iiat spring extending from the carrier in parallelism with the path of travel thereof; stationary structure slidably receiving the spring; a spring coiled about the flat spring on opposite sides respectively of said structure for yieldably holding the carrier against reciprocation in either of two directions respectively; a rotatable element mounted on the carrier for reciprocation therewith; an elongated screw mounted for non-rotating reciprocation on its longitudinal axis parallel with the path of travel of the carrier, said screw being in screwthreaded engagement with said element and adapted at one end thereof for connection with apparatus to be actuated; a pair of spaced electric contacts on said carrier; an electrical conductor arm mounted for limited reciprocation on the carrier in parallelism with said axis of the screw and between the contacts; and a pair of opposed springs operably connected with said conductor arm for yieldably holding the latter against reciprocation with the carrier in either of two directions respectively.

BOLEY A. ANDREWS.' GEORGE M. PRO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,860 Conklin Oct. 27, 1931 1,877,161 Conklin Sept. 13, 1932 1,934,859 Joaquin et al Nov. 14, 1933 2,000,515 Gross May 7, 1935 2,022,848 Fuller Dec. 3, 1935 2,118,930 Lilja May 31, 1938 2,200,968 Runaldue May 14, 1940 2,231,174 Trogner Feb. 11, 1941 2,232,257 Myles Feb. 18, 1941 2,253,170 Dunham Aug. 19, 1941 2,311,972 Simpson Feb. 23, 1943 2,335,336 Zoller Nov. 30, 1943 

